03-28-2018, 07:12 AM
(03-27-2018, 08:21 PM)jj22 Wrote: It's not the crown of your helmet. It's your helmet at all. That's the big difference. Before it was face up, see what you hit. That's illegal now too. It's a significant change that forces arm and shoulder tackles (which means more misses and whiffs). You can't lead with your helmet. Means you cant bend down. Think about how hard that will be.
It's a major change, as stated in the article. It's not just taking out a couple bad plays.
I don't like it. I think it'll be too hard to officiate fairly. Especially if offensive players get low.
I think the most important part is the “to initiate contact”. You can lean down, just not lean down and battering ram into someone. If a RB has his head down runn8ng through the hole, or diving, or flinches, he’s not “initiating contact” with his helmet, right? He’s just running and not actively smashing his helmet into players as a FIRST point of contact.
Reverse that, though... The RB is running upright and sees a defender incoming to tackle him.... Instead of a stiff arm, shoulder, etc, he lowers his head to hit the defender in the chest to knock him back.
Defenders or Olinemen, same deal. If you initiate or touch with the arms, etc first and THEN helmet = all good. Just can’t go all rhino and use your head FIRST.
